Information on iThemba
iThemba is a project of Youth for Christ.
Young South Africans and team members from Germany, who have found their hope in Christ Jesus, want to
spread this hope “iThemba“ in Germany. The training will be held in South Africa before the tour leads us into
Germany.
Time:
From January until December each year. Only full time participation is possible.
Age:
18 – 25 years
Training in South Africa:
The training will be held for 8 weeks from January to March. Training includes dance and drama lessons, spiritual
lessons, school workshop preparations and many more activities to grow together as a multicultural team.
Training venue is the YFC-Training centre C.Y.A.R.A. in Magaliesburg, near Johannesburg.
Tour in Germany:
Between training and the beginning of the tour in Germany there will be a brief time of 1-2 weeks to visit your
family and relax. In the beginning of April we relocate to Germany. Your home from April to the beginning of
December will be the base of YFC Germany in Mühltal, 30km south of Frankfurt/Main.
April will be used for further training and preparation before the tour starts in May which will lead you throughout
Germany. You are on the road as a team and are hosted in churches and guest families. We will brief you before
each outreach and will be available to you by phone all the time. After some days on outreach you will always
come back to the YFC base to relax, refresh spiritually and have fellowship with the other teams. The tour ends end
of November. In December we will close with a re-entry training for your time after iThemba.
Personal requirements:
 A clear decision for Christ Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour
 You have to speak and write English fluently
 A heart for the creative arts, such as drama, music and dance (skills are an advantage)
 The ability to live in a foreign culture and adapt to it and the people you are going to minister to
 A great capacity for team work, giving up of privacy, readiness to help others and readiness to reconcile with
one another
 Flexibility due to constantly changing places and accommodations during the tour
 Passport (if you don’t have one yet, please apply immediately!)
 Police clearance
Finances:
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Participation on iThemba requires you to pay a team fee of currently 7.000
ZAR.
This team fee will solely be used to cover the training costs within South Africa (accommodation, food, training
expenses). The complete costs of your flight, your visa, your accommodation and food in Germany will be covered
by YFC Germany.
Note: With your approval into the program and the training you don’t automatically acquire the right to go to
Germany. This will be decided at the end of training based on your performance.
References:
Please bring 2 references to your interview appointment, one from a teacher or employer, the other from a church
youth leader or minister (pastor).
If you are under 21 years of age by April, please also bring a letter of consent of your parents that states that they
allow you to travel internationally as part of the iThemba program of YFC. This letter must be stamped by the
commissioner of oaths.
Interview:
Interview appointments will be held in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. We will contact you with a possible
date.
Application form:
Please fill in the application form completely and then save it i.e. to a phone, laptop or memory stick.
Please email the fully completed application to ithemba@yfc.de
Within a maximum of three days we will confirm that we have received your application.
If you don’t receive a confirmation email, please send your application again.
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APPLICATION AS A VOLUNTEER on iThemba:
Please answer the following questions as completely as possible!
All information will be handled confidentially and not given to any unauthorised person! Please
write in English and mark where applicable.
I apply for iThemba (year):
Mr
Mrs
Surname:
First names:
Date of birth:
Place of birth:
Nationality:
ID Number:
Do you have a passport?
Yes
No
Applied (when):
Full Postal Address:
Full Residential Address:
Mobile:
Email:
Skype (if applicable):
Emergency contact:
Full Name:
Relationship:
Address:
Home Phone:
Business Phone:
Mobile:
Email:
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Family:
Marital Status:
Divorced, Widowed, Engaged, In a relationship)
(Never
Married;
Married;
Separated,
Since:
Are you responsible for any children?
Marital Status of Parents:
(Never Married; Married; Separated, Divorced, Widowed, Engaged)
Full Name and address of parents (not applicable if deceased):
Do you have any brothers and sisters?
Brothers (age):
Sisters (age):
Church:
Name of church:
Denomination:
Postal Address of church:
Name of minister (incl. phone number):
Are you a member?
Since:
Briefly describe your involvement in church:
Medical Information:
List any medical infirmities/allergies:
Do you require regular medical attention or medication?
If so give detail:
No
Yes
Driving skills:
Do you have a valid driver’s license?
No
Yes
Years of driving experience:
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If you have ever been convicted of a traffic offence, please give
details:
Skills and Education:
List all languages that you speak:
Mother tongue:
Secondary / High School:
Institution/Course:
Key Subjects:
Level Completed:
College/University:
Institution/Course:
Key Subjects:
Level Completed:
Special Training:
Institution/Course:
Key Subjects:
Level Completed:
Work and Ministry:
Work:
Employer:
Job Description:
Period:
Reason for Leaving:
Work2 (if applicable):
Full or part time ministry:
Employer:
Job Description:
Period:
Reason for Leaving:
Describe your current or previous ministry experience:
Financial Position:
How do you plan to pay your team fees?
Do you believe you will need financial aid for your team fees?
No
Yes
If yes, have you asked your church or other sponsors for help?
What was their response?
No
Yes
What amount will you be able to pay, earn or raise?
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How did you get to know “iThemba”?
(Internet, Friends/Relatives, YfC Ministry/Staff, Others)
Spiritual:
Describe your understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ:
When and how did you commit your life to Jesus Christ?
How do you understand the need of grace?
How do you know that you are saved?
Why do we need the Holy Spirit?
How have you changed or grown since you became a Christian?
Do you have any experience in ministry or youth work and do you have any exposure to working
with or on team?
What has been a difficult aspect in that experience (ministry, youth work or working in a team)
and how did you cope with this difficult aspect?
Are you open for changes and working and ministering in a different country and environment
where you would need to adapt constantly?
No
Yes
Why?
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Please give an example on a significant trial or difficulty or spiritual struggle that you have
experienced and how you responded to this trying time?
What is/are your spiritual gift(s)?
Life Purpose:
What is your main goal?
Describe your plans and goals for the next years (If you have any and if not just share your future
hopes and dreams):
If you are accepted on iThemba next year, what will you as an individual bring to the
programme? Why are you a perfect candidate as a youth worker?
Self Image and Relationships:
How would you describe your personality?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
How do you feel about yourself?
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What do others say about you personally? Who are you to other people?
How do you think God feels about you?
Have you experienced prejudice or racism? If so how did you handle the situation?
Please indicate whether you have experienced any of the following:
strong sense of rejection
substance abuse (alcohol, smoking, drugs, etc.)
emotional abuse
physical abuse
outburst of anger
severe depression
suicidal tendencies
occult involvement (ancestral worship, board games, etc.)
other religion
criminal involvement
Authority and Leadership:
Would you consider yourself a Leader?
Why:
Yes
No
Would you consider yourself a Follower?
Why:
Yes
No
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How do you respond to leadership or being lead?
Give an example of when your leader, supervisor asked you to do something you did not
approve? How did you respond?
Creative Arts Skills:
Rate yourself on the scale below in the following creative arts skills and specify involvement:
1=No experience 2=Beginner 3=Average 4=Experienced 5=Advanced
Drama:
Vocals (lead):
Vocals (harmony):
Dance:
Sound Engineering:
Musical Instrument:
Which instrument?
Any other special gift or talent:
What are your hobbies?
Do you participate in any sports? (If so, level of involvement):
Anything else you want to tell us:
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